Best Business Lines of Credit in December 2025
In the past year, small businesses have received more than $45 million in lines of credit through LendingTree’s network.
Best business line of credit lenders
Best for: Large purchases – American Express Business Line of Credit
- Starting rate
- 3.00%
- Approval times as quickly as same day
- Offers instant deposits once approved if you have an American Express Business Checking account
- Low annual revenue requirement ( $36,000)
- Personal guarantee required
- Interest rates can vary widely, depending on the repayment term
- Subject to account review
An American Express Business Line of Credit can be an excellent option if you need to make a large purchase. It has low interest rates — the lowest starting rate on our list — which can help you save, especially on bigger expenditures.
It may also be an option if your business doesn’t earn that much, since it only requires you to show at least $36,000 in annual revenue. Plus, you may be able to get a loan approval decision in a matter of minutes and receive funding instantly if you’re approved and connect an American Express checking account.
However, this line of credit is subject to regular account reviews and every loan requires a personal guarantee. Plus, the interest rate you’ll face will vary widely, depending on which term length you choose.
Read our full American Express Business Line of Credit review.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet American Express’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: 660
- Minimum time in business: 12 months
- Minimum annual revenue: $36,000
Each draw on American Express’s business line of credit will either result in a separate installment loan or a separate single repayment loan, depending on the length of the loan term you choose.
With installment loans, you’ll repay a set monthly payment each month until the loan is paid off in full at the end of the loan term.
In contrast, single repayment loans don’t require multiple monthly payments. Instead, the full principal balance and any interest charges are due in a single payment on a predetermined due date. Terms for single-repayment loans range from one to three months, with rates ranging from 0.95% to 6.05%. Single repayment loans are only available to people who have an existing American Express product.
Best for: Interest-only payments – Byline Bank
- Starting rate (interest rate)
- 10.00%
- Capped interest rates
- Allows for interest-only payments for a period of time
- Long repayment periods available (Up to 120 months)
- Lines of credit may need to be secured by inventory or accounts receivable
- Your loan amount will depend on the value of your collateral
- Doesn’t disclose its starting rate or eligibility criteria
Business owners who want the flexibility of interest-only payments may want to consider Byline Bank. Since the bank offers an SBA CAPLine, which is a type of SBA 7(a) loan, you’ll also benefit from capped interest rates and long repayment periods that extend up to 120 months.
At the same time, though, this line of credit must be secured by inventory or accounts receivable — the amount of pledged collateral will dictate how much you’re eligible to borrow, although available loan amounts extend to $5,000,000. Additionally, this bank doesn’t disclose its rate information or qualifying criteria, which can make it hard to know if you’re a good fit for this product.
Learn more about Byline Bank.
Since Byline Bank doesn’t specify its eligibility criteria, you’ll have to reach out to the lender directly to learn if you qualify. Be sure to ask about time in business, annual revenue and minimum credit score requirements.
Byline Bank offers a revolving line of credit, which means it functions similarly to a credit card. You’ll borrow against it, up to a set limit and make regular payments on any balance that you’ve accumulated.
Best for: Startups – Fundbox
- Starting rate
- 4.66%
- Low minimum credit score requirement
- Startup friendly (short time in business requirement)
- No prepayment penalties
- Requires a personal guarantee
- Often offers short repayment terms
- Weekly payments are typically required
If you need a startup business loan, Fundbox might be a good option. With a minimum credit score requirement of 600 and time in business requirement of just 3 months, qualified borrowers can access revolving funds up to $250,000 to use toward various business expenses. Businesses must also have an annual revenue of $30,000 or greater, and you can typically receive funds within two business days of making your draw, if approved.
That said, in order to receive funding from Fundbox, you need to be willing to sign a personal guarantee, which puts you on the hook for repayment if your business defaults. Plus, weekly payments are required, so you’ll need to be prepared to add those to your business’s budget.
Read our full Fundbox review.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Fundbox’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: 600
- Minimum time in business: 3 months
- Minimum annual revenue: $30,000
Best for: Secured lines of credit – Bank of America
- Starting rate
- Not specified
- Rate discounts offered to Bank of America Preferred Rewards members
- Offers a free business credit score tool
- Offers a discount to veterans
- High annual revenue requirement ($250,000)
- Subject to an annual review
- Doesn’t disclose starting rate or credit score requirements
Bank of America’s secured line of credit comes with a high minimum borrowing amount and access to some useful financial education tools. Plus, it offers plenty of opportunities to earn rate discounts.
Unfortunately, though, it may not be the best fit for every borrower. The company doesn’t disclose its minimum credit score requirements and, at $250,000, the annual revenue requirement is fairly high compared to the competition.
Read our Bank of America Business Loan review.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Bank of America’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: Not specified
- Minimum time in business: 24 months
- Minimum annual revenue: $250,000
Best for: Streamlining your business finances – Bluevine
- Starting rate (interest rate)
- 7.80%
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Receive funds in as little as 24 hours, or faster with a Bluevine checking account
- Low starting interest rate of 7.80%
- Not available in Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota or any U.S. territories
- Higher annual revenue requirement ($120,000)
- Repayment terms are limited to 12 months
Bluevine is our top pick for streamlining your finances because it offers both a line of credit and a business checking account. Plus, it has several features that make managing your money easy, including the ability to automate accounts payable and link to QuickBooks for easy accounting. You can manage your line of credit and checking account (and subaccounts) from one dashboard, making it a useful solution for business owners looking to simplify their finances.
Plus, with interest rates starting at just 7.80%, qualified businesses can take advantage of Bluevine’s business line of credit, which has no hidden fees and quick funding times.
Still, Bluevine imposes some eligibility restrictions on its products. Its line of credit is not available to business owners who live in Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota or any U.S. territories. Additionally, at $120,000, its annual revenue requirement is higher than some of the competition.
Read our full Bluevine Business Line of Credit review.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Bluevine’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: 625
- Minimum time in business: 12 months
- Minimum annual revenue: $120,000
Each draw on a Bluevine line of credit must be approved by the company and results in a separate loan, with its own repayment amount and repayment schedule.
The company offers two repayment schedules. The weekly repayment plan is meant for newer businesses and allows you to repay your balance through weekly payments over the course of 52 weeks. Meanwhile, businesses older than three years may be eligible for the monthly repayment plan, which allows you to repay via monthly payments over 12.
Best for: Same-day funding – OnDeck
- Starting rate (APR)
- 39.60%
- Instant funding available
- Offers lines of credit without collateral
- Apply without a hard credit check
- Funding not available in North Dakota
- High average interest rate (39.60%})
- Low maximum borrowing amount ($200,000)
If you need same-day funding, OnDeck offers an unsecured line of credit, worth up to $200,000 that can be funded instantly after approval in some cases. If you have a debit card on file with OnDeck from a participating bank, you can have one draw per day worth up to $10,000 sent to your account within 30 minutes, although requests are subject to limitations from OnDeck and your bank.
Plus, there are no added draw fees or annual fees to worry about, which can help bring down the cost of borrowing.
While OnDeck doesn’t disclose its absolute minimum rates, the minimum rate given to at least 5% borrowers is fairly high at 39.60%. In addition, at just $200,000 the maximum amount that you can borrow from the company is lower than you’ll find with many competitors.
Read our full OnDeck Business Loan review.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet OnDeck’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: 625
- Minimum time in business: 12 months
- Minimum annual revenue: $100,000
OnDeck’s line of credit allows you to draw funds as needed. It functions similarly to a credit card. After each draw, the entire balance is re-amortized and you’ll get an adjusted monthly payment amount.
Best for: Long repayment terms – Truist
- Starting rate
- Not specified
- No minimum time in business requirement
- No minimum annual revenue requirement
- Long repayment terms available with collateral
- Lacks transparency around interest rates and minimum credit score requirements
- Must complete loan closing at a local branch
If you need the ability to borrow money as you go and a longer repayment term, consider Truist’s line of credit. Its secured line of credit offers access to up to $250,000 with repayment terms of up to 60 months. As an added bonus, the company doesn’t impose minimum annual revenue or time in business requirements.
Yet, Truist doesn’t publicly share its credit score requirements or interest rate information, which can make it hard to tell if this line of credit is the right fit for you. Plus, you will be required to visit a local branch in person in order to close on your line of credit.
Read our full Truist Business Loan review
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Truist’s criteria of:
- Minimum credit score: Not specified
- Minimum time in business: None, but extra paperwork may be required if you’ve been in business for less than two years
- Minimum annual revenue: None
Truist’s line of credit lets you borrow money up to a pre-designated limit for a set term of 12 to 36 months, or up to 60 months with sufficient collateral. Once approved, you can access the funds by requesting a transfer to your checking account or by writing checks.
Interest only accrues on the amount that you borrow. You can make multiple draws up to your limit, and if you do, you’ll get a new monthly payment amount.
Learn more about how we chose our picks.
How a line of credit works
A business line of credit is a type of small business financing that allows business owners to borrow funds on an as-needed basis, up to a preset limit.
Typically, repayment on this type of funding works in one of two ways:
Separate installment loan
Sometimes, each draw on the line of credit functions as a separate installment loan, with its own unique repayment amount and repayment schedule.
With this method, if you make multiple draws against your line of credit, you’ll likely have to end up juggling multiple due dates or payment amounts.
However, if you’re planning on making larger or less frequent draws against your line of credit, the extra administrative legwork can save you money on interest over time. (We’ll explain more about how the math works out below.)
Revolving account
Other lines of credit function similarly to a credit card, where any amount that you borrow gets added to a cumulative balance towards which you’ll be expected to make regular payments. If you choose to go with a line of credit that works like this, be sure to check out your amortization schedule before taking out a new draw to understand how your total repayment amount will be affected.
Choosing this kind of model can help streamline your finances because you’ll only be expected to make one regular payment on the amount that you’ve borrowed. However, it may result in you paying more in interest charges overall. Still, it can be a good idea if you plan to use your line of credit to make a lot of smaller, frequent draws.
Lines of credit can help cover unexpected business expenses like inventory, payroll or seasonal fluctuations in revenue.
Let’s say you take out a $35,000 draw to expand your business with a one-year term, and after six months need another $10,000 draw.
If your line of credit treats both of those as separate installment loans with a one-year term and a 13% interest rate, you’d repay a total of $48,231.
If your line of credit re-amortizes after you take out the second draw, you’d repay a total of $48,837. That means you’d pay about $600 more in interest with a revolving line of credit.
But the flip side of that is that you’d have more manageable monthly payments. The revolving account (the one that re-amortizes when you make a draw) would have a monthly payment of $3,126 for the first 6 months, and $2,507 for the next 12 months.
The line of credit that treats each draw like a separate installment loan would require you to be making payments on both draws during the period that the plans overlap, meaning your payment would go from $3,126 for the first 6 months to $4,019 for the next 6 months, before dropping down to $893 for the last 6 months.
So while you’d pay more interest on the revolving account, your monthly payments wouldn’t fluctuate as much.
Scenario 1 (installment loans)
Draw 1: $35,000 loan with a 12-month term and 13% interest rate
- $3,126/month
- $37,513 total repayment
Draw 2, taken 6 months later: $10,000 loan with a 12-month term and 13% interest rate
- $893/month (This payment is separate from the payments from your first draw; you’ll need to pay both until they’re paid off.)
- $10,718 total repayment
Total after both draws: $48,231
With this payment plan, you pay $3,126 for the first 6 months, $4019 for the next 6 months and $893 for the last 6 months
Scenario 2 (revolving)
Draw 1: $35,000 loan with a 12-month term and 13% interest rate
- $3,126/month
- After 6 payments, you’ve paid $18,757 and have $18,065 remaining
Draw 2, taken 6 months later: $10,000 loan with a 12-month term and 13% interest rate
- $10,000 new loan plus $18,065 = $28,065 loan amount with a 12-month term
- $2507/month (This payment includes both draws.)
- $30,080 total repayment
Total after both draws: $48,837 total repayment
With this payment plan, you’d pay $3,126/month for the first 6 months, and $2,507/month for the next 12 months
Pros and cons of a business line of credit
Even if you’re eligible for a business line of credit, it might not be the best financing for your business’s specific needs. Here’s what to consider as you make your decision.
PROS
- Withdraw what you need and when you need it, helping to limit over-borrowing
- You only pay interest on what you borrow, not on the total limit
- Usually has lower interest rates and higher borrowing limits than a credit card
CONS
- Not suitable for large purchases or long-term expenses
- You may need to provide collateral
- Additional draw or maintenance fees can add up over time
Common business line of credit qualifying requirements
Lenders typically look at the following to determine your eligibility for a business line of credit:
Credit score
Your personal FICO Score and business credit report both play a role in determining your creditworthiness. Many lenders require a minimum credit score of 600 or higher when you apply for a business line of credit, although having a higher score can help you secure a better interest rate.
Time in business
Most lenders want a steady track record of at least one to two years in business, although certain lenders will work with those in operation for only six months.
Annual revenue
You must show a steady income stream to qualify for small business financing. The amount varies greatly, with some lenders accepting annual revenue as low as $30,000, while others want to see $250,000.
Collateral
Secured lines of credit will also factor in the value of your collateral and typically offer lower interest rates and bigger loan amounts. However, if putting up that collateral feels a little too risky for your comfort, an unsecured line of credit may be a better option.
LendingTree’s concierge service helped over 1,000 small business owners get a line of credit last year.
Where to get a business line of credit: Banks vs. online lenders
When shopping around for a business line of credit, you typically have two options: a traditional lender (like a bank or a credit union) or an online lender. As with any financial decision, there are pluses and minuses to choosing each route.
Traditional lenders (Banks and credit unions)
Traditional lenders tend to have stricter qualifying criteria. For example, they may require a longer operating history or a higher minimum credit score. However, if you can qualify, they also typically offer lower interest rates and, in some cases, may even give relationship pricing, which rewards you with a lower interest rate in exchange for having an existing account with the institution.
Online lenders
Online lenders, on the other hand, usually have more lenient qualifying criteria, making them attractive to businesses that are unable to qualify for more traditional forms of financing. Some online lenders can also have quicker funding times — potentially same-day. However, you’ll likely pay more for the privilege of borrowing, since these lenders tend to charge higher interest rates.
How to choose between them
Getting quotes from both banks and online lenders can help you get the best deal. Consider reaching out to one or two banks you have a relationship with to get a quote and comparing them to quotes you get from online lenders. Using a marketplace like LendingTree can help you get multiple quotes quickly.
Once you have offers, compare the rates, fees and terms to find the best deal. It’s also a good idea to check out lender reviews before making a final decision.
How to compare business lines of credit
When picking the best business line of credit for your company, you’ll want to compare the following details:
-
Interest rate
Compare rates from multiple lenders to get the best rate and check if the interest rate is variable or fixed. -
Repayment term
Many lines of credit require daily, weekly or monthly payments. Choose a lender with a payment schedule that works for your business. -
Time to funding
Ask potential lenders about their application process and time to funding. -
Additional fees
Check for maintenance and draw fees, as well as origination fees, late charges or business loan prepayment penalties. -
How it works
If you don’t plan to take frequent draws, or you want the flexibility to choose payment options, a line of credit that treats each draw like an installment loan may be a better option. But for more frequent draws, one that works like a credit card (where you pay on the total balance) could be easier to manage.
How LendingTree works
LendingTree takes the legwork out of shopping for a loan. Simply fill out one form and watch lenders from the country’s largest networks compete for your business.
Tell us what you need
It takes just a few minutes to tell us who you are and how much money you need. Plus, the process is free, simple and secure.
Receive personalized lending guidance
Depending on your business and funding needs, you may be able to choose whether to compare quotes yourself or work with an account manager who can help you review your lending options and make a recommendation about what type of financing could be most appropriate for you.
Get your money
Pick a lender and sign your loan agreement. You could receive your money in as little as 24 hours.
Alternatives to business lines of credit
If a business line of credit doesn’t seem like the best fit for you, there are plenty of alternative options available, including:
-
Business term loan
A business term loan will provide you with all of your funding in one lump sum payment. As a result, it may be a better option than a line of credit if you have to cover a large one-time expense. -
Business credit card
A business credit card is another form of revolving credit where you only pay for what you use. The most significant difference between business lines of credit and credit cards is that credit cards carry higher interest rates than lines of credit. That said, they also often come with reward programs that most lines of credit don’t offer. -
Invoice factoring
Invoice factoring involves selling your unpaid invoices to a third-party company that fronts you a percentage of the amount due and takes responsibility for pursuing repayment. When the invoice is paid, you’ll receive the remaining percentage, minus any fees charged by the factoring company. -
Merchant cash advance
For their part, merchant cash advances (MCAs) provide you with an advance on your debit or credit card sales in exchange for a percentage of the profits. However, it’s important to be aware that interest rates can be high with this method of financing.
Our methodology: How we chose the best business lines of credit
We reviewed the leading small business lenders to determine the overall best business lines of credit. To create our list, we evaluated lenders based on the following criteria:
- Rates and terms: We prioritize lenders with competitive rates, limited fees, flexible repayment terms, a range of credit amounts and APR discounts.
- Repayment experience: We consider each lender’s reputation and overall business model.
- Products offered: We factor in how each line of credit works, including how repayments are structured, term lengths and ways to access funds, to determine which lender is best for specific needs.
- Customer service. We favor lenders that offer reliable customer service and provide customer perks, like free business coaching.






